For thousands of homes and properties facing flooding misery, nothing has changed significantly. Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) need to be the focus for a shift in flood risk management thinking.
Sustainable drainage meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Accepted thinking on surface water drainage has been overly influenced by an enthusiastic Green lobby which has insisted on land-hungry natural features for SuDS, causing concerns for developers who may be forced to reduce available land for building in new developments already facing tight profit margins. At the same time, natural features present engineering challenges for drainage designers to accurately predict their performance in extreme weather conditions, as well as their long-term maintenance requirements.
A wide variety of engineered systems are available which can enhance the amenity value of natural features whilst providing repeatability of measurable performance. Slowly the industry has come round to this way of thinking. Unfortunately, in the meantime the uncertainty has caused delays in framing clear and unequivocal national standards that can provide a consistent benchmark for all designers to follow.
Flood management demands a three strand strategy for flood alleviation: First, the mitigation of risk by defending assets to a higher standard; second, reduction of risk by reinforcing the network and duplication of pipelines (resilience), and finally by managing unforeseen emergencies by rigorous contingency planning. It\’s about reducing flooding, mitigating climate change, reducing pollution and contamination, saving energy…..while supporting conservation and recreation.
